July's news

I haven't been reading or writing blogs for a while, mainly because we've been busy at home, having a few trips away and holidaying in Wales to be near our new granddaughter. 

For a while I haven't been feeling to chirpy in myself, various things but I decided to try to do a few more things for me ... this I find difficult as I'm the one who arranges things, family and friends, and seem to do a lot for others, I was born on a Friday which explains a lot.

I have stepped down from being Chairman at our Scout Group although I'm still a committee member and although I do have the church cloth to work on I'm taking a small break from it. 

My wrist/arm has healed but I do have a problem with pain in my hand between my ring and little finger which travels up my arm, this makes stitching a little uncomfortable. I'm still having physio at the hospital and seeing the GP physio. 

I have joined Slimming World again, it's nice to meet with others for a couple of hours and of course loose some weight, I've lost 1 stone so far. 

The stitching I have done was a gift for Sylvie-Rose our granddaughter. We're not sharing photos or information on social media so I have blanked out some of the sampler. 

I'm still working on 12 days of Christmas and hope to have a couple more to show in August. Hopefully I will be back to being more involved in blog world soon. 

Finally I've finished

In 2019 I stitched two temperature projects, one showing the hottest temperature of the day, the other showing the coldest. And that was that, they sat in my drawer for ages!

I decided to make them into mats to use occassionally by using drawn threads and a hem. I marked them out ... and there they sat in my drawer!

But I've finished them ... whoo hoo! They are square I'm just rubbish at taking level photos with my phone.

I haven't started making up my 12 days yet as I have a few things to stitch first, namely two wedding gifts. 

But before those I have a special item to stitch, I've sorted the fabric and threads and hope to start stitching today.

The colours match my beautiful peonies and the lovely cards we've received ❤️ 

Yes, we're now Grandma and Grandad to our beautiful granddaughter Sylvie-Rose. We're delighted for our daughter and son-in-law, it's lovely to see them become parents.

It's June

The sixth month has arrived and so did the sun for a few hot days, it's now back to being wet!

I have stitched all the Jo Verso 12 Days of Christmas complete with red beads instead of French knots. Here's Day 11 & 12 and the full set.

It's a poignant time of year in our family; 

- my mum's birthday was 31st May

- Hubby's mum would have been 90 today

- my mum passed on the 8th May

- Hubby's dad's birthday was 11th June 

That means lots of special dinners, fish and chips for my mum, Hunter's chicken for Hubby's mum and gammon for his dad (with egg custard pudding)

Our garden is also joining in as my mum gave Hubby a planter of lillies when his mum passed and they bloom every year, now for both mums.

We have the beautiful 'Golden Lady' rose in our garden planted for Hubby's mum and it's just about to bloom.

My Dad's Peace rose has bloomed again, this time with pink edging. Our peony has looked amazing but the wind and rain has destroyed the petals but I love the skeleton it's left behind. 

I also spotted the white poppy, it's called Royal Wedding and is a bit spindly but a beautiful flower. Quite apt really as June does also bring lovely memories as it's our special day on the 24th, it is our 37th wedding anniversary.

My stitching is back

I've been able to stitch much more lately, my hand's more flexible, still quite painful so it's little and often but I'm certainly stitching more. The break has mended but I think there's a bit of tissue damage still mending.

I have also had a go at crochet, it's slow but going ok. I have picked up my knitting needles again too, that's slow too but is a great exercise for my hand.

I've finished Day 10 of my Jo Verso 12 days of Christmas for the church tree. I haven't done the red beads as a bit fiddly yet. I'm hoping to have the twelve stitched by the end of June so the summer will be make up time (easier to take away than lots of floss and charts).

My lovely friend Gill has stitched three days for me, thank you Gill they are so nice.

It's a scorcha here in the UK, our hottest temperatures with yesterday reaching over 34°C. I have been staying indoors to keep cool. 

Not just my hand, I'm a bit under the weather lately. Lots of things, I seem to get over one thing then something else happens but I am trying to tackle one thing at a time. 

The blooms in the garden certainly help, our peony is finally out as is our Peace rose which was my Dad's favourite. 

Our recent cruise definitely helped lift my spirits - here's the link to my other blog - and there's exciting times ahead our first grandchild is due very soon.

12 Days of Christmas update

Well my cast is off my hand and I can now sew right handed again although a little slow. My stitching could have increased had it not been for going on a cruise holiday hee hee

I completed Day 8 left handed and Day 9 right handed.

I have started on Day 10 and hopefully I will stitch quicker as my hand improves. I will add the red beads to them all at the end, beads are too fiddly at the minute.

DJ sent me two lovely 12 Days for the tree, they are from a Sue Hillis design. DJ stitched Day 8 maids-a-milking and Day 11 ladies-dancing. Thank you DJ they are lovely and will look lovely on the tree. I will iron them when I make them up, I quite like the creases showing their journey.

We had a lovely cruise which I'll be writing about soon on my travel blog.

A left handed stitch

It's been a tricky four weeks with my right hand in plaster. I had the choice of colour and chose paw prints in honour of our son's new puppy. She's very good and learning quite quickly, she's here about once a week and is very well behaved.

It's taken me a while to stitch again. Everything is a bit awkward left handed but the difficulty has been holding the fabric in my right hand. 

I have completed Day 7 of Jo Verso's 12 Days of Christmas although I still have the red beads to add, far to fiddly at the moment. The half stitches were quite tricky and what a lot there were.

Time to start Day 8, I hope to get it done by the time my plaster comes off in two weeks.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter 🐣 how much chocolate have you had today?

I love decorating our house for themed days especially when I can display the lovely stitching from stitching friends over years. 

Today is Opening Day for Needlecraft Haven Spring Exchange. As I'm not stitching just now I couldn't finish my ornament that was for Julie but I found a few Spring themed decorations and included the required threads with a few treats.

My exchange parcel was from Mini, her first exchange with Needlecraft Haven. I feel very spoilt, thank you Mini for my gifts and ornament.

Mini also sent an ornament for my church tree, this year's theme is 12 Days of Christmas.

I haven't written much as it's hard work and slow going using my left hand. I have today managed 10 minutes stitching left handed, I can hold fabric in my right hand but not for long (I don't use a frame as I am working small pieces)

My cast is on for another 4 weeks, hopefully I can slowly build up to holding my fabric longer and maybe other things to make things easier.